Websites for language teachers

By Rolf PalmbergFaculty of Education, Abo Akademi University, Finland

EnglishClub & TEFL.nettwogatewaysfor teachers of English

It may take you just as long to search for exercises and texts on the Internet as it would to make them yourself. One way of saving time is to use "gateways" - websites containing most of what a language teacher may need.

I often hear it said that teachers of English can find everything they need for their teaching tasks on the Internet. The truth is, however, that it usually takes at least as long to search for exercises and texts on the Net as to generate them yourself - if you find what you need at that very moment at all.

A well-tried way of saving time is to make use of "gateways" (or "entry points"), provided, of course, that you have had time to familiarize yourself with them in advance so that you know what they contain. A cautious estimate is that there are hundreds of gateways on the Internet especially intended for teachers of English.

A gateway in its simplest form is simply a list of useful web addresses, in other words a collection of links. In a more elaborate format the collection of links has grown to become its own website containing most of what a teacher of English might need.

EnglishClub
One gateway of the latter kind is EnglishClub (www.englishclub.com). Don't be intimidated by the apparently overwhelming homepage and its optimized layout. Instead study the page at your leisure. It has a clear system. In the centre of the homepage, you will see clickable icons depicting buildings. In the two columns to the far left and right respectively, you will find more links. Click the various alternatives and see what is on offer. If you know what you are looking for you can use the website's own internal search engine at the top of the page. If you want a quick overview of the contents, you can browse the two scrolling menus located just underneath the advertising window beneath the website logo. One of the menus is for learners, the other one is for teachers.

Once you have learned to navigate the website, you will find increasingly more useful material. A few examples: there are exercises on grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation, information on different types of technical language (such as Business English) and study opportunities at schools abroad, ready-made lesson plans, a discussion forum for teachers, as well as an archive of both theoretical and practical articles published in the ESL Progress Newsletter, an electronic journal that you can subscribe to free of charge. A great advantage is that the layout of the exercises is planned in such a way that they can be printed out straightaway for use in the classroom.

A practical resource is ESL Help, where pupils (and teachers as well, of course) may direct questions about language to a native English speaker. Start by reading through the questions and answers already published on the page. If you do not find the answer you are looking for, just ask your question (which could be about grammar, choice of words or spelling). Within 24 hours you will have the answer to your question.

TEFL.net
Another useful gateway is TEFL.net (www.tefl.net), the layout of which reminds one of EnglishClub. The explanation is that both sites are maintained by one and the same person, Josef Essberger. Essberger is resident at Cambridge, UK, and the language on his websites is therefore mainly - but not exclusively - British English.

A big advantage is that the websites are not tied to any specific organization. With the exception of a selection of electronic books, games and CD-roms, all the material is accessible free of charge. This also holds true for the TEFL Inspire Newsletter, the electronic journal of TEFL.net.

Just like EnglishClub, TEFL.net contains a large selection of materials and possibilities for the language teacher. Many of the links on the two websites in fact make use of one and the same database, which is a practical solution. The most important difference is that TEFL.net is practically intended for teachers only, which becomes clear by a quick scan of the links. In consequence there is a wealth of information on language courses as well as academic degrees. If you like, you can apply for a job abroad, or buy your own language school.

The website has a simple but useful toolkit for teachers who want to make up their own exercises. By means of the "ESL Worksheet Generator" you can generate sorting exercises (where learners are to sort given words into two, three of four different categories), as well as matching exercises (where learners must combine words from two different columns). The first tool can be used for example for translation tasks and irregular verbs; the second one also for translation tasks, as well as for verbs in phrases, for Christian names and surnames and so on. There is a two-minute demonstration to show how to use the tools. Since the program cannot "think", it can be used for any language allowed by your keyboard, not only English, and indeed also for subjects other than language.

Translated from a 2007 Swedish language review by Rolf Palmberg in Tempus (published by kind permission of SUKOL, The Federation of Foreign Language Teachers in Finland).

We're 10 Years Old!

I'd like to say a big THANK YOU to all the students, teachers and international language organizations who have supported EnglishClub during the past 10 years.

Yes, 07/07/07 sees EnglishClub's 10th birthday! Thanks to your support EnglishClub has grown into one of the largest ESL communities on the web, with over 1,000,000 visits from students and teachers monthly.

Over the past 10 years, responding to feedback from our members and visitors, EnglishClub has continued to develop and provide students and teachers world-wide with the resources they need in learning or teaching English.

We look forward to the next decade, confident in your support and eager to continue innovating the tools and resources you need to succeed.

Josef Essberger, Founder
EnglishClub
7 July 2007

This comprehensive English language site is definitely worth a visit if you are serious about improving your English. It has all the standard features of a good English language site, including sections on grammar, idiom, spelling and general use of the language. It also has some excellent and innovative features, such as a karaoke lounge, where you can pick out a song that you like, and have it stream into your computer while the text appears at the bottom of the screen! There is also a very useful section on business English with topics such as writing a business letter or putting together a resume. The site is clean and well designed and is very fast to load, although you will need a reasonable connection if you want to be able to sing the songs.

Content: Very goodDesign: Text only - fast and easy to understandSpeed: Very fast

Nation Junior

EnglishClub Voted "Best ESL Site"

Online Survey of 10 Leading Sites for English Language Students Ranks Free e-Learning Site englishclub.com #1

CAMBRIDGE, ENGLAND - January 30, 2002 (INB) -- In a survey of 7,000 English language students and teachers conducted by Study Saint, the 100% free-access EnglishClub was ranked #1 out of 10 leading EFL/ESL internet sites. Mathew Ridyard, inventor of the Study Saint internet organizer for English learners, presented the Golden Halo Award for "Best English Language Site in the World" to EnglishClub founder Josef Essberger, saying: "Congratulations! EnglishClub has overwhelmingly been voted the Study Saint user's popular choice. From a total poll of 7,000 votes, EnglishClub was preferred by 28% of the voters. A remarkable achievement." Participants in the online survey were asked to choose their favorite EFL/ESL website and invited to add comments like: "EnglishClub is always my confidential friend. When I have any troubles with English...I go to this site to research and study." "EnglishClub is not only something great for students but it is something great with its tips for young teachers like me." "English changes my life. Keep on practicing English. You'll get everything different than before. Trust me and believe. Be at EnglishClub or be behind!" "EnglishClub is a heaven for English learners all over the world." Founded in 1997 by Josef Essberger, an English-born writer/photographer and RSA/TEFLA teacher with 10 years' experience teaching English in Europe and Asia, EnglishClub is a Cambridge, England site that has quickly developed into one of the leading language instruction sites on the Web. "I think of EnglishClub as a real 'club' that belongs to the visitors, who can participate online in a friendly environment that encourages 'learning by doing'," explains Josef Essberger, who sees no conflict between free online sites like EnglishClub and conventional language schools and publishers. "In fact, we actively encourage learners to develop their skills in language schools through pages like the EnglishClub Language Holidays Directory. And many schools and ELT publishers sponsor EnglishClub because it reaches English learners in practically all countries. I see EnglishClub as providing the environment to foster a genuine love of learning English. I've put tremendous effort into making it a site with real educational content that is still easy and fun to use. The emphasis is on the learner rather than the teacher, on learning, not teaching." EnglishClub has 24 main sections covering the four language skills plus grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation, as well as interactive areas such as eFriends, Forum and Chat, and special sections for teachers. Its 24-hour HelpDesk is loved by students who ask grammar questions online and receive answers from HelpDesk Teachers such as Alan Bunyan in Japan or Sandra Goronas in Argentina. One of its most popular email services is "7 Secrets for EFL/ESL Students". Overall, EnglishClub attracts over 120,000 monthly visitors, logging about 1.5 million pageviews.

EnglishClub Helps Thousands Worldwide Easily Learn How to Speak and Write English Fluently at No Cost

Friendly, Online Environment Encourages Global Community Support

LONDON, ENGLAND - October 4, 2000 (INB) -- Until recently, many people desiring to learn how to write and speak English fluently had to pay big bucks to a foreign language center, or learn the language during their formal school years. Once again the Internet has changed the rules and birthed a fun, inexpensive and free online alternative: EnglishClub www.englishclub.com.

Offering over 5,000 pages, EnglishClub has developed into one of the leading foreign language instruction sites on the Web in terms of quality content, size, format and popularity since its November 1997 debut. Updated daily, the web site is regularly visited by over 70,000 visitors each month who log in more than 400,000 page views. It has been designed to assist both ESL (English as a Second Language) and EFL (English as a Foreign Language) students and teachers.

"We think of ourselves as a 'club' - not a 'school' - where both students and English teachers from around the world can learn English in a friendly environment that encourages involvement," explains Josef Essberger, founder. "We've put enormous effort into making EnglishClub a site with all ESL/EFL educational content. It's also full of simple-to-access pages requiring no special software. That explains why thousands of sites around the world link to us."

At the heart of EnglishClub are channels teaching the "insider" rules of English in an effective and entertaining manner. Well-visited subject areas include:

Grammar - The most popular; provides help and tutorials on everything from tenses to prepositions.

Forums - Kick back and hone your emerging language skills by chatting in English or joining a discussion with new friends, or finding penpals from around the globe.

Shop - View thousands of books, CDs, tapes, videos and other materials carefully chosen to help you improve your English skills.

Additionally, members can sign up to receive EnglishClub's free "Progress!" newsletter full of helpful articles, online study tips and quizzes. The site also takes and answers individual questions from members about the English language and the Internet, and offers a custom-designed search engine for finding other sites relating to the learning and teaching of English.

Since EnglishClub operates from Cambridge, UK, the site is written in "British" English and uses The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Current English as its main reference. "However, we do have pages relating to other varieties of English," explains Essberger, adding that Webster's New World College Dictionary, for example, is the primary reference for American English.

EnglishClub is an independent site wholly owned and operated by Essberger, an English-born writer/photographer. He also is a former RSA/TEFLA English teacher with over ten-years of experience teaching ESL and EFL to all ages and levels in both Asia and Europe. Funding for the site is derived from advertising and sales of products from its online store.